Enticing Made Easy
by Leigh5
Summary: Inspired by a Quantum Xander Verse; Xander never got rid of the hyena. Neither did the rest of the pack. Set in LA sometime after Season 5.


AN: Heh. I didn't even realize that I accidentally picked up dialogue from an episode and used it until I re-watched an episode and went: Hey! I wrote that. . .oh. So I had to change a small part to make me feel better. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Night was falling, and people were beginning to crowd the streets. Lack of regards for safety and a primal need to release pent-up energy kept the evil creatures of the night and the average garden-variety serial killer in good business all year round. Except for a couple of weeks in winter, when the instincts for self-preservation kicked in pushing everyone inside to huddle around the nearest fire. Funny that.  
  
Studying instincts didn't matter so much when you were an example of all that a simple human could be when freed of conventional thought. Instincts does not a simple person make; that was the fact that allowed Xander to escape. He had been captured at one point, locked into the cage in the library, but he had at least known the rest would come for him. They had thought him to be completely base, which was true, but it didn't make him dumb. He knew his strengths.  
  
The party atmosphere darkened slightly as they entered the bar. Bunched in a group they were intimidating and altogether too noticeable. By necessity the five had to drift apart and hunt separately. No matter how smart he perceived himself, Xander couldn't lie; it's not easy like it used to be.  
  
Back a couple of years ago these people were much stupider. Recently, with all the news reports and "vicious street gangs" on the loose, everyone decided they could benefit from being warier. It was working too, damnit. Pretty soon the five of them would have to migrate to some other distant part of the country where people were pretty naïve things that couldn't be bothered with the harsh reality outside of their quaint small town. As of now they had to do things more carefully, breaking off and traveling to quiet corners to cull the herd instead of pouncing on the fringes and dragging some poor weak thing outside.  
  
The city was catching on. They had to change their ways. But no one said change was easy, and all of them were having a hard time catching the attention of any unsuspecting teenager, or attracting a stupid fledgling vampire.  
  
The two girls had made it to the bar and were drumming their fingers restlessly against it, Heidi flipping her hair and Rhonda pushing her chest out hoping some drunk frat boy would drool just a little closer. Kyle and Tor had circled to the dance floor, predatory stalking changed into sensual rolls and sways and slow entrancing smiles. It was getting attention, that was for sure, but if the attention didn't turn into food they were going without a meal for the fifth night in a row. As if they were reading his mind, all turned at the same time to glance at Xander. Hard glares, accusing him of losing their food source. He was the leader but he could no longer watch as food was brought to him; he had to provide.  
  
A slight imperceptible nod and he was off into the crowd. Unlike Kyle and Tor, Xander didn't lose his predatory movements as he made his way towards the bar. Sidling next to a pretty blonde in a slinky dress, the bartender immediately came over to him. Xander dismissed him with barely a look. The guy shrugged and went back to placing beers in front of other patrons.  
  
He leaned against his elbows, stretching his back, basically putting on a display for anyone watching. The girl next to him gave him sideways glances and shifted slightly, wrestling with some decision until she finally turned completely to him.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Xander looked up at her slowly, each part of his gaze searching and disarming at the same time. He reached her face and smirked at the growing blush crawling up her neck. "Hello."  
  
Her eyes grew darker as he spoke just the word, his voice weaving something unnamable yet wholly desirable over her. Taking a deep breath she continued on bravely, "My name is Stephanie. People call me Stephie for short. It's little girl-ish I know. . ." Her voice died off.  
  
His smirk took on a deeper level, morphing into a truly pleased grin. "Stephanie." Xander tried the name out on his tongue. "Stephanie," he repeated smiling broader as his face took on a decidedly hungry look. She shuddered visibly. Somewhere on the dance floor Xander could pick out a high pitched laugh. His teeth began to show; they were eating tonight.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
About a year ago, the five of them were still moving around, not settling anywhere for fear of the others back at the beginning were still looking for them. They had moved up and down California, and sometimes venturing in Nevada in an effort to lose all trails. All that running took a toll, and they needed a heavy populated area to feed a great deal and not get caught, which led to the only logical choice of LA. Murders were old hat there, plus an odd feeling of nostalgia no one could explain had taken over their minds. It was as if they needed to travel back home.  
  
They didn't go back to Sunnydale, (even in their addled states they knew that would be an extremely bad idea) but Kyle and the others wanted to go back as well. Making a safer decision, Xander steered them west. LA had more strangers.  
  
So walking down the streets on the one gray day in California and hearing his name called, he immediately thought, "Trap!" and turned to face the threat. The threat of a pretty brunette glaring angrily at him.  
  
She straightened up and tilted her head back with a haughty air, "What is your deal? You take off and disappear like three years ago and we had to have a memorial service for you and those freaks behind you. A service! I had to dress up and wear black like everyone else, and I'll admit that I felt sad only because it's just another person vanishing, but I didn't cry, thank you very much." She stopped and looked at him expectantly. Xander just blinked, until something clicked.  
  
"Cordelia Chase." Behind him Rhonda and Heidi immediately giggled and murmured, "Cordelia."  
  
Cordelia was turning in sharp movements, her hair snapping with each jerk. "Well, duh, I'm Cordelia. What, did you forget?" She took a step back in shock. "Oh God! You forgot!" Pause. "You forgot me! How could you forget me? I'm like the ultimate in memorable!" Hands flew to her hair in mortified outrage, like it held all the answers to her problems.  
  
Sensing a mini-crisis, Xander grabbed her arm. "Let's go somewhere. Get some coffee. You can remind me all about the things I should never have forgotten." She allowed herself to be moved nearer to an alley before coming to her senses.  
  
"Hey, wait. Why did you leave without telling anyone? You and that Willow girl were friends, I thought." Xander maneuvered her further away from the street. "And what are you hanging with all these people for? I heard they went crazy. Like Christian Bale crazy and ate the principal." Kyle made his way to the mouth of the alley to keep watch. Cooing noises were dripping out of the remaining three as they circled in closer. "What the hell is that noise you people are making? God, you're even more annoying than I remembered. All I want is my money back for that present I gave your parents at your 'death' 'k?" Despite the sure defiant tone of her voice, she began to back away from them, stopping as her heel hit the wall.  
  
Xander leaned in and pinned her. "Cordelia."  
  
Her hands balled into fists and she pushed against him. "Why do you keep saying my name like that? Like you care? You don't care. Hell I don't even care."  
  
"You're wrong." Grabbing her arms, he held them together at the wrist. A crash of thunder sounded from above. He turned his head to look behind him. "Have to hurry before it rains." Looking back at Cordelia with a grin. "Don't want to lose this scent."  
  
Completely stopping her struggling movements altogether, she screeched at him, "What?!" Heidi went to her side and brushed the hair away from her ear. She leaned in to whisper, "Cordelia."  
  
"Ok, you guys are officially freaking me out now. Not that you were all Joe Normal to begi-" The words abruptly ceased as Xander covered her mouth. He slowly removed his hand, leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. It wasn't so much a kiss as it was a nuzzle against her face.  
  
Inhaling deeply he trailed his lips over her cheek and back down her jaw, ending up with his head buried against her neck. "God you smell good." He mumbled.  
  
Cordelia stood in astonishment, staring blindly at the three people in front of her, only coming to focus as they each said her name a fraction of a second after each other. She didn't even think about screaming until the pain started and by then it was too late. The weight lifted from her shoulders and Xander's bloodied face came into view.  
  
"We do care, Cordelia. You give us what we need." That was the last thing she heard before the pain overtook her and she collapsed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *  
  
Closing his eyes in remembrance, Xander smiled and wiped off a piece of Stephanie.  
  
Sure, you had to seduce the prey now. It wasn't as simple as it used to be, but it was still very easy. 


End file.
